Parklands - Fall 2023

A POWERFUL PARKS COMMUNITY

elcome to the latest edition of Parklands! We’re starting to look back on the year already, and we are so grateful for the collective dedication and passion within this community. In the following pages, you’ll read about an impactful volunteer day in the redwoods, recent advocacy wins for parks, our 2024-2027 strategic plan, and more.

As we approach the end of the year, we hope you recognize how much better California state parks are because of you. You help us fight for a fully funded

California state park system and create thriving partnership programs to benefit individual parks. You expand parks’ capacity through volunteer days, overcoming resource constraints and carrying out essential tasks such as trail maintenance and planting. You help us access the best available science and research to learn about climate threats in depth as well as solutions for parks. You improve access to parks so all Californians feel welcome and enjoy the benefits of being outdoors.

And, of course, you keep us inspired to continue doing what we do. We’re excited about all the exceptional work you’ve fueled and for the opportunity to share it all with you along the way. Thank you for how deeply you care for state parks!

Dear park lovers,

A LETTER FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Crisp weather, rich color, and pumpkin treats aside, what I love about fall is the way the pace picks up after a languid, warm summer — the days get shorter, there are lots of social and community activities filling up the calendar, and I have the sense that the clock is ticking on my most important goals and plans for the year.

In this issue of Parklands, you’ll learn about some of the work we’ve been doing to steward, protect, and provide access to parks. Our new 2024-2027 strategic plan, launched this summer, lays out an additional to-do list with things like expanding our tracking and monitoring of threats to state parks and developing solutions to the park system’s biggest issues. We are building a parks movement to ensure every Californian has the opportunity to engage with and fight for parks.

I’m also thinking about what we need to get done in 2024. Funding for the wildly successful State Library Parks Pass and California State Park Adventure Pass programs will be expiring in June, so we’ll be advocating to extend and expand those programs that are increasing access to our state parks. And the fight for resources to build a truly climate-resilient state park system is just getting started.

Finally, fall is a good time for gratitude, and I’d like to acknowledge all the help and support California State Parks Foundation has gotten from park lovers like you this year. I don’t take it for granted; I am truly grateful for each and every member and supporter of the organization. Thank you so much for your donations, time, and suggestions!

Until next time,

Rachel Norton, Executive Director

P.S. Even though I love fall, I had a great summer too! Here’s a shot from my summer: paddleboarding on Lake Natoma with Armando Quintero, Director of California State Parks.

OUR THREE-YEAR VISION FOR STATE PARKS

e took most of the past year to think deeply about what parks and Californians need from California State Parks Foundation right now. For over 50 years that has been our commitment — to be there for what parks need.

Through reflection and collaboration, we identified focus areas for the next three years. Our staff and board came together to discuss the feedback we received from our community, our unique role, and our priorities moving forward. These five focus areas — three programmatic and two operational — will deepen the impact and capacity of the organization to protect and preserve the California state park system. These are:

Defending parks: Working with our network of partners to identify looming issues for individual parks and the park system, then crafting effective strategies to defend against threats.

Developing solutions: Pursuing innovative programs and projects that exemplify solutions to issues facing state parks and then scaling them statewide through funding, awareness, and advocacy.

Building a movement: Building a diverse, inclusive movement of park champions, enabling Californians to engage with, experience, and advocate for their state parks.

Strengthening operational excellence: Improving business planning, processes, staff recruitment, engagement, and culture, and the integration of justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity into the fabric of the organization.

Enhanced governance: The Board of Trustees actively supports and promotes our organizational vision, values, and programs, has well-defined roles and responsibilities, and is engaged, diverse, and collaborative.

We are also focusing on four key program areas to support parks and plan for the future: climate resilience, access and experiences, park excellence, and park stewardship. These will help us deepen the impact of our programs. The next three years will be an exciting, fast-moving time at California State Parks Foundation. We are honored to be doing this work alongside you! Read our full 2024-2027 strategic plan at calparks.org/strategicplan.

A PROVEN TOOL TO BUILD PARK ACCESS

e know that parks are only as strong as the people who care for them and protect them. Current state park visitors are incredible champions today, but we are working to ensure that we foster tomorrow’s champions by increasing park access for youth and their families.

California State Parks passes are a proven tool to break down barriers for Californians to enjoy our state park system. Over the past few years, we have met with lawmakers to pass legislation and budget items to pilot pass programs that build access to California state parks. These pilot programs include:

California State Park Adventure Pass: Gives fourth graders and their families who live in the state a free pass to access 19 selected state parks for a full year.

State Library Parks Pass: Gives free vehicle day-use entry to over 200 participating state park units operated by State Parks to library card holders.

Golden Bear Pass: Makes it easier for families that receive CalWORKs, individuals who receive supplemental security income, and incomeeligible Californians over the age of 62 to receive a free annual vehicle day-use pass valid at over 200 state parks.

We’ve seen incredible outcomes from the three free pass programs so far! Outcomes as of September 2023:

42,000 students have received a California State Park Adventure Pass.

61,000 families have received a Golden Bear Pass — compared to an annual average of 2,500 passes before this partnership.

33,000

California State Library Parks Passes have been placed in more than 1,100 public library branches throughout the state. Libraries report that this is one of the most checked-out items in the library.

As pilot programs, they’re set to expire soon, but California State Parks Foundation is passionately advocating to secure a permanent place for these passes in the state budget. We will work together to ensure everyone feels welcome in our parks, regardless of background.

PARK PARTNERS: CONNECTING ANGELENOS TO GREEN SPACE

his summer, our major gifts officer, Jessica Ro, had the opportunity to connect with our park partners in sunny Los Angeles to learn about the importance of urban state parks. These park partner organizations help connect their community members to critical green space so locals can enjoy nature and spend time there with friends and family, ultimately fostering spaces for health and wellness.

The day began at Rio de Los Angeles State Park, venturing into a Test Plot garden. Test Plot is an organization that partners with community members to help steward public lands. Their approach is experimental, testing and teaching regenerative and reciprocal landbased practices. What they plant and what actions they take differs at each Test Plot location and community. In this way, they serve as a hands-on living laboratory for knowledge building about hyperlocal ecological resilience, land-based care practices, and civic engagement.

After that, we headed to the Bowtie parcel along the Los Angeles River

and met up with Julia Meltzer, executive director of Clockshop. Clockshop is a Los Angeles-based arts and culture nonprofit that produces free public programming and works with artists to deepen the connection between communities and public land. They center working-class communities of color in Los Angeles and aim to support the well-being and vitality of multiple communities. The Bowtie area is part of the 100 Acre Partnership, an agreement between city and state agencies to collaborate on revitalizing 100 acres of the former Taylor Yard railyard into a contiguous public green space along the Los Angeles River.

The field trip provided invaluable insights into the remarkable work our partners are undertaking to create a vibrant, sustainable oasis along the Los Angeles River, where the harmony of nature and thriving communities takes center stage.

WHAT IS A NATURE-BASED SOLUTION?

alifornia state parks are an essential part of California’s identity, shaped by dramatic landscapes, remarkable wildlife, and exciting outdoor adventures. However, these cherished spaces are now increasingly threatened by climate change, and California State Parks is turning to nature-based solutions to prepare parks for this uncertain future. Nature-based solutions use natural features to mitigate the effects of climate change — like sand dunes that reduce coastal flooding — and can also improve public access. Because of their numerous benefits, nature-based solutions are being implemented at parks across the state.

LIVING SHORELINES

California state parks make up almost one-quarter of California’s shoreline and are already being impacted by sea level rise. However, seawalls and other permanent structures damage the surrounding environment. Instead, California State Parks and park partners are building living shorelines, which use plants, sand, and other natural materials to stabilize the shoreline and reduce coastal flooding. For example, California State Parks Foundation has restored seven acres of coastal wetlands at Yosemite Slough in Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. Not only will this work mitigate the effects of sea level rise, but also it increases coastal access for the surrounding under-resourced community. Access to cooler coastal areas is critical for public health as temperatures continue to rise

Our volunteers restoring coastal wetlands at Yosemite Slough in Candlestick Point State Recreation Area.

because of climate change. Projects like this show that naturebased solutions build not only climate resilient parks but resilient communities as well.

FOREST HEALTH AND RESTORATION

Restoring forest health is another nature-based solution that is critical to increasing climate resilience in California state parks. Climate change and over 150 years of fire suppression have created overgrown forests that are choked with dry, highly flammable fuel for potentially catastrophic wildfires. Unhealthy forests are also less supportive of diverse wildlife and remove less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This carbon removal and storage (called sequestration) reduces greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Therefore, restoring healthy forests reduces wildfire

risk, promotes biodiversity, and helps offset the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change.

In the past several years, California State Parks has ramped up its forest health and wildfire resilience work, including carrying out prescribed burns that clear out excess fuel and improve ecosystem health. California State Parks conducted almost 6,000 acres of prescribed burns and fuel reduction work in 2022, and they are continuing to expand this work to create healthy forests in parks across the state. This year, approximately 1,400 acres of prescribed burns are planned in Redwood National and State Parks, home to the tallest trees on earth.

Want to learn more? Check out our blog post at calparks.org/ naturebasedsolutions.

Redwood trees in Humboldt Redwoods State Park

VISIT SALT POINT STATE PARK INSTEAD OF SONOMA COAST STATE PARK

Just 10 miles up Highway 1 from California’s most popular state park, get your Sonoma County shore fix without as big a crowd at Salt Point State Park. Its beautiful ocean vistas and rocky shoreline are sure to match the stunning views you had in mind.

VISIT SANTA SUSANA PASS STATE HISTORIC PARK INSTEAD OF TOPANGA STATE PARK

Fall is a great time to visit Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park, as the temperature is cooler in this rugged, rocky park. A 35-minute drive north of Topanga State Park, it offers hiking, intricate rock formations, diverse plant life, and deep historical roots.

VISIT SAN CLEMENTE STATE BEACH INSTEAD OF HUNTINGTON STATE BEACH

It’s difficult to find a place of complete solitude along the popular state beaches of Southern California, but San Clemente State Beach does receive significantly fewer visitors a year despite having roughly the same acreage as Huntington State Beach. In addition, the park offers camping, so reserve a site in advance for excellent sunset access to the beach.

Share your adventures with us!

LESS-TRAVELED PARKS TO VISIT

here are plenty of state parks to experience, but some are much busier than others. Want to visit a less-crowded park? We’ve taken the top five most-visited California state parks and offered a slightly less popular park within an hour’s drive to visit instead!

VISIT STONE LAKE PARK PROPERTY INSTEAD OF FOLSOM LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA

While it’s hard to beat Folsom Lake as a fun, family-friendly space, if you prefer a little less stimulation, visit Stone Lake. This serene wildlife refuge is only 10 miles from Sacramento and offers diverse grasslands and wildlife. Currently, visits to the park are limited to every second and fourth Saturday of each month. The County of Sacramento operates Stone Lake.

VISIT TIJUANA ESTUARY POINT OF INTEREST INSTEAD OF OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO STATE HISTORIC PARK

If you’ve already been to the shops and restaurants and learned about cultural history at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, take a journey into the area’s nearby natural history at Tijuana Estuary Point of Interest on the southern end of the bay, near the Mexico border. Co-managed by local and national agencies, this park offers state-of-the-art resources in the visitor center and education programs.

PHOTO: AMY HOPPERSTAD/USFWS

EMPOWERING STUDENT VOLUNTEERS IN THE REDWOODS

n September, California State Parks Foundation hosted a volunteer workday field trip to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Old Orchard School brought 60 middle school students to help with fence repairs along the iconic Redwood Grove Loop Trail.

The group was broken into smaller teams led by park staff, Volunteer Core Leaders, and our program staff who joined to support this special event. Teams made the area neater by cutting overgrown plants with clippers and removing leaves from the trail. This helps stop plants from growing on the fence, which can make it wet and cause the wood to rot. The teams fixing split rails brought fence materials to their sites and dug holes. The honing group used knives to make the posts smooth and get them ready for installation. Lastly, two groups put the fences together using wire and staples. Students got to work and quickly gained confidence in using hand tools (like hammers, pliers, and post diggers). By the end of the day, they were experts — one group reported that their students installed the last fence section all on their own!

This opportunity to engage school groups allows us to inspire the next generation of park stewards. Students were able to give back to their parks but also have some fun outdoors and hopefully make some lasting memories. Several of the kids

took wood shavings home as souvenirs to share with their parents. Others were excited to see banana slugs in the dirt. And a few were adamant about discussing the perfect names for the old-growth trees they were working under. At the end of the day, approximately 1,584 feet of fencing was repaired. The park’s maintenance staff was very thankful for the students' support on what will be an ongoing project throughout the fall.

If you’d like to continue the work that Old Orchard School started, we invite you to join an upcoming workday at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park! Sign up at calparks.org/volunteer.

ADVOCACY WINS FOR THE YEAR

ach year, our team reads thousands of bills proposed for the legislative sessions, keeping an eye out for the ones that could make a real difference for state parks. The bills that most closely align with our goals and values become our legislative priorities for the year, and we work to champion them throughout the long journey of becoming law by meeting with legislators, submitting letters of support, gaining public support through petitions, and testifying and providing insight at committee meetings.

Check out some of the wins you made possible this year! Visit calparks.org/legislative-agenda to read updates on all the legislation.

SENATE BILL 272 (Laird) advances the state's commitment to climate resiliency by requiring local governments within the coastal zone to develop and implement sea level rise planning and adaptation plans in the next ten years. This is a significant milestone for the future of California's state parks and a more resilient coastline.

ASSEMBLY BILL 1150 (Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife) establishes a community access pilot program for nonprofits that provide programs and services for communities with barriers to accessing state parks and beaches. This will increase equitable access to state parks and expand capacity for organizations to deliver programming where it has the most impact.

SENATE BILL 337 (Min) establishes a statewide goal to conserve at least 30% of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030 — also known as 30×30. California is a biodiversity hotspot with the highest species concentration that can’t be found anywhere else on Earth. This bill will protect iconic species like monarch butterflies and elephant seals from the threats posed by habitat loss.

SENATE BILL 668 (Dodd) authorizes the California Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into operating agreements with qualified nonprofit organizations. This protects nonprofit park operators, such as Friends of China Camp and many others, that are a vital part of the state park ecosystem.

SENATE BILL 732 (Menjivar) establishes the Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) as the official state bat. This legislative milestone celebrates a unique creature of our state and underscores the importance of protecting our wildlife.

ASSEMBLY BILL 261 (Kalra) establishes the California Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus) as the official state mushroom. This is both a win for biodiversity and a celebration of the flora and fauna of our state.

PASSED!

Signed by Governor PASSED!

Signed by Governor

PASSED!

Signed by Governor

PASSED!

Signed by Governor PASSED!

Signed by Governor PASSED!

Signed by Governor

100 HUMANS OF THE OUTDOORS: HOW CURIOSITY AND STORYTELLING CAN HELP BUILD COMMUNITY

t California State Parks Foundation, we know how important it is for people to have equitable access to outdoor spaces and for visitors to feel seen, represented, and welcomed outdoors. Yet there are still many Californians who don’t have access to or feel welcome in parks. How do we get more people into parks? How do we foster a sense of belonging?

One way is through art, which photographer Tommy Corey is doing in his upcoming book, 100 Humans of the Outdoors. Tommy is an LGBTQ+ MexicanAmerican photographer whose creative endeavors focus on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the outdoors. His book will feature portraits and short stories of 100 different humans from all realms of the outdoor industry.

As someone who grew up backpacking, camping, and hiking with his dad and brothers, Tommy has long had an affinity for the outdoors. However, while thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018, he noticed a lack of diversity out on the trails.

“Thru-hiking is very white and able bodied, and very male dominated,” Tommy noted. That experience made him want to share stories from people you don’t typically think of as outdoorsy, which led him to the idea for his book. “It builds community hearing stories from people who are different from you,” he shared.

Read our full interview with Tommy at calparks.org/tommycorey. And don’t forget to follow @tommycoreyphoto on Instagram to see more of his beautiful photography and keep up with his project!

Mary Mills, surfer.

Photographed by Tommy Corey in Los Angeles, CA.

VISITOR CENTER UPGRADES: MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK

Earlier this year, the visitor center at Malibu Creek State Park received some much-needed TLC. The structure is a 100-year-old historic building that was converted to a visitor center in the 1970s. During the year, over 10,000 visitors come through and many express great interest in the building itself. Malibu Creek Docents, the nonprofit that operates the visitor center, refurbished the space earlier this year with a grant from California State Parks Foundation. This involved repainting, refurbishing the floor, and repairing the plaster. The visitor center looks bright, fresh, and inviting now.

Being in the visitor center takes you back in history, and Malibu Creek Docents wanted to preserve that. It’s an immersive experience to understand not only the park’s geology and flora and fauna but also its human history — from the early Chumash peoples to ranching settlers to Los Angeles’s elite to its extensive moviemaking past and, finally, to its acquisition as a public park for all.

ENTER OUR PHOTO OF THE MONTH CONTEST!

Are you a photographer looking to share your captures of California's natural wonders? Enter our monthly photo contest to win a California State Parks Annual Pass!

Post your stunning park snaps on social media using the hashtag #MyCAStatePark and tag us @CalParks on Instagram or X/ Twitter or at California State Parks Foundation on Facebook and Flickr. Each Friday, we spotlight one talented photographer. The winner is chosen based on the most likes across platforms at the end of each month.

September’s lucky photographer, Harley Tuner, showed us the stunning full moon over Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park during the transition from summer to fall.

MAKE A LASTING IMPACT FOR PARKS

Because California state parks have played a role in your life as places of solace and inspiration and you value protecting nature for future generations, we invite you to leave a legacy. You can keep your vision alive in perpetuity — to protect and preserve the California state park system for the benefit of all — by including California State Parks Foundation in your will, trust, or other legacy plan. In doing so, you’ll make an impact that lasts forever.

You will join a group of passionate California state parks supporters in the William Penn Mott, Jr. Legacy Society who are dedicated to protecting the parks during and beyond their lifetimes. Benefits of membership include invitations to our popular Insider Tours, our Brief newsletter, plus the other benefits you already receive as a member.

Learn more at calparks.org/legacy.

California State Parks Foundation is an independent, membersupported nonprofit dedicated to protecting and

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Front cover photo: El Matador Beach at Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach